2026 Public Schools Top 100 Preview: No. 1 Creekside

2026 Public Schools Top 100 Preview: No. 1 Creekside

The road to the 2026 public-school national title starts in Fairburn, Georgia.

Creekside opens the season at No. 1 in the T25PS Public Schools Preseason Top 100 after one of the most complete seasons in the country. The Seminoles went 15-0, won a state championship, finished No. 2 in the final 2025 Public Schools Top 25, and now bring back the type of roster that gives them a legitimate chance to finish one spot higher in 2026.

Creekside returns 16 starters from last year’s title team — seven on offense and nine from a defense that allowed less than a touchdown per game. The Seminoles also bring back 26 key players with division 1 offers from last year’s run while adding high-level talent in important spots, including 2027 6-foot-6 dual-threat quarterback Savoy “Slim” Nichols, who is expected to take over an offense that averaged more than 66 points per game in 2025.

This is the standard for the rest of the preseason Top 100.

Team Snapshot

School: Creekside
City: Fairburn, Georgia
Classification: GHSA 6A
2025 Record: 15-0
2025 Finish: State champion
Head Coach: Maurice Dixon
Returning Starters: 16 total — 7 offense, 9 defense
Reported Key Returners: 26 players with D-1 offers.
T25PS Rank: No. 1

Why They’re Ranked Here

It’s simple: Creekside brings back a significant portion of what we considered one of the elite public-school teams in the country in 2025.

The Seminoles did not just win a state championship. They dominated their way to 15-0, finished No. 2 in the final 2025 Public Schools Top 25, and now enter 2026 with a roster that still looks built to compete at the highest level.

Creekside returns the core of a dominant defense, brings back proven offensive talent, and appears to have filled its biggest graduation losses with impact players. If the new pieces settle in quickly, the Seminoles may not only continue last year’s dominance — they may be capable of taking it to another level.

Players to Know

Gary Walker — RB/ATH, 2027
Walker is a 6’0”, 200-pound 4-star prospect committed to Clemson. Walker finished last year with over 1600 rushing yards, 20 Touchdowns, and an average per carry of 9.4 per. He gives Creekside a national-level offensive weapon and one of the most dangerous athletes in Georgia high school football.

Armani Hill — WR, 2027
Hill is a 6’2”, 178-pound wide receiver committed to Boston College. With a confirmed 4.3 40" dash, his size, catch radius and big-play ability give Creekside another major weapon on the perimeter.

Savoy “Slim” Nichols — QB, 2027
Nichols is a 6’6”, 205-pound quarterback committed to Tarleton State. He steps into one of the biggest roles in the country, taking over an offense that was one of the most explosive units in high school football last season.

Tavarre Terrell — LB/EDGE, 2027
Terrell is a 6’1”, 225-pound linebacker/edge committed to Georgia State. With Creekside returning nine defensive starters, he is part of the defensive foundation that makes the Seminoles so dangerous.

Ayden Alexander — DB, 2027
Alexander is a 6’0”, 165-pound defensive back committed to Western Michigan. He adds another college-level piece to a veteran Creekside defense that should be one of the strengths of the team.

Carter “C2” Jamison — S/DB, 2027
Jamison is a 5’11”, 180-pound defensive back committed to Tennessee. He Finished 2025 with 71 tackles, 4 sacks, 2 force fumbles, 8 pbu’s, 2 picks.

Lonnie Brown — TE, 2027
Brown is one of two big tight ends for Creekside, along with 6’4 210 lb Amare’ Jackson. The two together bring sized and trusted hands to the middle of the offense.

In addition to the names above: Major “Mayway” Levell, Hayden Dixon, Daniel “Tank” Holt, and Kaleb Noel all are names to keep an eye on to have big 2026 campaigns.

Key Games

Clay-Chalkville
This may be the top interstate public-school game of the 2026 season. Clay-Chalkville is also coming off a 15-0 state championship season and enters the year ranked 10th in the T25PS Preseason Top 100.

St. Joseph’s Regional
This out-of-state matchup gives Creekside a chance to travel to New Jersey and face the reigning NJSIAA Non-Public A state champion. It is a major national measuring-stick game for the Seminoles.

Langston Hughes
The biggest in-state game on the schedule. Creekside has the roster to be the top public-school team in Georgia, but Langston Hughes is the kind of opponent that can test them late in the season.

Biggest Question

The biggest question is the quarterback transition.

Creekside has proven skill talent, seven returning offensive starters and one of the best defensive foundations in the country, but anytime a team brings in a new quarterback, there is at least some unknown.

If Nichols settles in quickly and the offense remains close to last year’s level, the Seminoles may have enough to hold on to the No. 1 ranking throughout the 2026 season.

T25PS Prediction

Regular Season Prediction: 10-0
Postseason Prediction: Georgia 6A State Champion, T25PS National Champion

Bottom Line

Creekside has the clearest No. 1 case in the country entering the 2026 public-school season.

The Seminoles have the championship résumé, returning production, defensive foundation, offensive upside and schedule strength to justify the top spot. Now the challenge is doing it again with everyone chasing them.

The standard is the standard — and entering 2026, Creekside is the standard.

Thanks for reading,
- Alex | T25PS

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